English Language Learners: Excellence in Teaching English Language Learners: Building Best Practices

March 2, 2006
Dr. Josefina Villamil Tinajero
Sharaton Leominster, MA

"Leading English Learners to Success"
March 30 - April 1, 2006
El Paso, Texas

The symposium will be held on Monday, November 21, 2005 in the Natureal Gas Building.

On November 2, 2005 a group of eight UTEP faculty members (Beverley Calvo, Nancy Tafoya, Ana Huerta-Macias, Mayte de la Piedra, Joe Heyman, Aurolyn Luykx, Zulma Mendez, and Judith Munter) visited the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez (UACJ) to learn more about UACJ’s programs and resources.

In the Fall Semester of 2005, thirty-five student interns from Dr. Bill Robertson’s Science Methods classes facilitated three nights of hands-on science activities as part of the Family Science Nights at Alicia Chacon International School. The events were for students, staff, parents and children in K-2 (held on October 26), 3-6 (held on October 27), and 7-8 (held on November 8).

UTEP has released the names of this year's Golden Nuggets.

Texas State Teachers Association, UTEP Student Chapter, is a new student organization in our college. Membership is open to any UTEP undergraduate student who is interested in education. The organization is selling t-shirts, navy blue with orange writing saying, “UTEP Teachers are HOT.”

The Paso del Norte Literacy Council invites the community to celebrate International Literacy Day on Sept. 8, a worldwide celebration of reading and education. The council and fellow sponsors will host a variety of activities to promote literacy from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Chamber of Commerce Building, 10 Civic Center Plaza in Downtown El Paso.

Dr. Josie Tinajero was one of two keynote speakers at the Purdue Literacy Network Project Fifth Annual Summer Literacy Institute.  Her presentation was entitled “Making Connections:  Developing Language for All Children” and focused on English Language Learners (ELLs).

Working with English Language Learners: Perspectives and Practice is hot off the press. The book, edited by Ana H. Macías, features several chapters by UTEP junior faculty as well as by faculty from other universities. The book will be used in one of our undergraduate courses, BED 4343 Sheltered English Instruction. It is currently available at the UTEP bookstore or can be purchased through the publisher, Kendall Hunt, at http://www.kendallhunt.com.

Project ACE--ACtion for Equity is a four year grant from WEEA--Women's Educational Equity Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The project will infuse service learning and gender equity components in pre-service teacher preparation.

Project STEP UP (Strategic Teacher Education Programs to Uplift the Profession) is a 3 year grant under the Teacher Recruitment Grants Program from the U. S. Department of Education. The grant will support about 165 students with scholarships and stipends for books.

This event was held on Monday, June 27, 2005 from 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM on the third floor of Union East. The conference provided a forum for the dissemination of faculty and student education research projects. Topics included parental involvement, multicultural education, mentoring, and bilingual education.

A presentation was given by Dr. Lee Teitel of Harvard University on Monday, June 27 from 4:30 – 5:30 pm in the Templeton Suite. The session addressed the development of learning communities to prepare future educators (teachers, administrators, counselors, diagnosticians).

The College of Education (COE) Pre-Commencement Ceremony was held on Friday, May 6. Precommencement began promptly at 6:30 PM in Magoffin Auditorium. Regalia was required.

Dr. Gary Brooks served as the College Faculty Marshal and Dr. Helen Hammond served as the College Faculty Marshal of Students. We also recognized some outstanding students, faculty and staff.

On Tuesday, May 24^th, staff and students from UTEP’s College of Education participated with the Office of Admissions and Recruitment in an advising and recruitment information fair in Juarez at Centro de Convenciones CIBELES from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Parents and students from 9 Juarez area high schools were invited and transfer students to attended as well.